Stumped
by Rocky28
Summary: Jem Varaz is a normal girl, not really used to big change ever since her father and aunt passed, but when weird things start happening, Zachary comes along and teaches her that change is good, but not always.
1. Crushed with Pain

Authors Note: Hi, this is like my fourth story and so I'm used to people not liking them. This story is a crossover between my favorite book series, _From the Files of Madison Finn _and my a story that I made up. The characters Madison, Ivy Daly, Rose Thorn, and Phony Joanie came from the book series, and the town of Far Hills. Please read and review ASAP.

P.S. My beta-reader is Dejichan4444. And my chapters are short, please do not comment on that.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for what I made up.

Chapter One-

Crushed with Pain

I walked downstairs because my best friend Madison was there. Madison and I had been friends since she moved here at the end of kindergarten. But this time we had to say good-bye, because she was moving back to Far Hills, her hometown.

"I'm sorry," Madison said trying to hold back tears. She hugged me and we walked outside. "Mom says that moving back will help her because she needs to do a TV show there permanently, so she won't have to drive an hour every day to go to work." Madison's mother worked as a producer of documentaries, at Budge Films.

"I'll e-mail as I arrive in Far Hills." Madison reassured me, "Promise." I hugged Madison one more time and then her mother came up to my front door and waved.

"Bye." I said teary-eyed. I watched Madison walk out the door to her mother's car. I watched the car drive down my street until it turned and it was lost from my site. Although Madison was my best friend I knew that I would get over her moving.

I heard the phone ring, I ran to my room but didn't answer it. I listened for the message, then I heard a voice, "Hi Jem," I heard somebody say, "It's Athena, I just wanted to talk, Madison was just over like ten minutes ago." Athena was my other best friend, I know what you thinking--what kind of name is Athena? Well I'll tell you: Athena's father is single and is a historian, her mother died right after Athena was born so it was up to Athena's father to name her. Since he was studying Greek mythology at the time he named her after his favorite goddess, Athena.

I picked up the phone after a second, "Hi." I said miserably.

"Jem! I thought that you would never pick up. I already miss Madison." Athena said. I laughed.

"She left a couple of minutes ago, we constantly spend this amount of time apart." I said.

"Yeah, but, Jem are you sad about this?" Athena said.

"Yeah Athena, but you have to realize that this will be easier on Madison too. Now she can spend more time with Mr. Finn, not just summer, so she will spend weekends and a month every summer with him." I explained to Athena. Athena let out a sob.

"But she won't spend the school year with us Jem!" She said trying to hold back tears. I sighed, when Athena was upset, she was impossible to calm down. We talked for about twenty more minutes until Athena said that she had to go. We hung up the phone and I went over to the computer.

I checked online. Athena wasn't on. Madison wasn't on. And then I realized what I hadn't realized before--we were all crushed with pain.


	2. Harsh, Stupid THoughts

A/N: Hi please Read and Review for every chapter cuz I don't feel like repeating.

Disclaimer: Look chapter 1.

Chapter Two--

Harsh, Stupid Thoughts

On Monday Athena and I walked into school. Athena had her long soft blonde hair in ponytail, while mine was just put into down, just because my hair was short, only down to my chin. It was easier that way, just keeping it short, so that it made my face look bigger and not a tiny round ball of fat.

Not that I thought that I was fat, I thought that I was pretty and according to Nana (my grandmother), I was the 'cutest little girl' that she had ever met. Grandmother lived with my mother and my little sister Allison. Allison is seven.

Allison was a smart and outspoken girl. I was only thirteen, and according to Nana, admitting that was big. Nana was the best grandmother anyone could have. She was proud of every single thing that Allison and I did. Mami didn't always think that.

People think that my family is weird, calling my grandmother Nana and my mother Mami, but there is no way that I would ever think that. My family is Columbian, aka from South America. My father, Papi, died when I was seven in a bad car crash.

Everybody thought that that was why Athena and I were such good friends: because we both had parents that had died. Yet Athena's mother's death was as horrible for her, because she just lived without a mother. But Papi's death was bad, because I was used to him, having him there was amazing.

Madison once told me that she had a friend when she went back to Far Hills. They were eating lunch together one day and she adjusted her glasses, "You know what?" Madison's friend asked.

"What?" Madison answered.

"I miss the time when I could see the person across the table from me clearly." She said. And Madison said that she remembered that she had said that forever, just because she over-thought what she had said.

Madison told me these exact words, "After thinking about what Vinny, my friend, had said, I realized that people see through different eyes. People aren't sad or afraid when they have never lived with something that most people have, but people _are_ sad and afraid when something is gone from their hands. Something that doesn't happen to everyone."

The fact that Athena had never had a mother made it impossible for her to miss it, because she didn't know what it was like. The fact that I had had a father, made me used to the fact of having it, and miss what I had had before.

Back to school; Athena and I walked up to our lockers, that were located next to each other just because we were next to each other in alphabetically.

My locker was decorated with things that said my name, stickers that I had made on the computer that said in big letters _JEM_. And even big letters that I had made that covered half of my locker door, spelling out my name. I had a couple of pictures up of Athena, Madison, and me.

Athena's locker was barely decorated at all. She had her schedule hung up and a sign that she had made saying, "Athena's Parking Only, All others will be towed." She also had a few pictures of our threesome, but her locker described her, a shy beautiful girl afraid of showing her real, true, creativity.

We both grabbed our stuff and walked to our separate homerooms. I sat in my assigned seat next to Ivy Daly, aka Poison Ivy, as Madison had named her. Behind Ivy were her drones, Rose Thorn and Phony Joanie. "Hello," Ivy said snobbishly to me.

"Hi Ivy," I said just to not create a fight. Ivy Daly was the most popular girl in school. Her boyfriend was Cameron Drew, the most snobby popular boy in school. Ivy and her drones were the opposite of Madison, Athena, and me. Ivy was mean and harsh and we were just at school because we were there to learn, not to meet cute guys and become popular; even though our lives ended up that way anyhow.

"How's your orphan friend?" Rose jumped in. I shuttered. _Orphan?_ I thought _Athena isn't an orphan!_

"Her name, is Athena." I told them harshly.

"Same thing," Joanie joined her two friends, "It's an orphan name just the same." The three laughed just as the homeroom bell rang. _This has to stop, they can't just treat Athena like that_, I thought, _this will not go on._

----------------

"Th-th-they seriously said that about me?" Athena said stuttering in art class first period.

"Yes," I told her shading in a piece of the gown we were designing.

"Why?" She said.

"Because they are mean, and harsh." I told her reassuringly, I thought for a second, "And they think harsh, stupid thoughts."


	3. Zachary McHale

Chapter Three--

Zachary McHale

At lunch fifth period Athena and I sat with all of our friends, there was Eva, Dana, Bailey, Bobbie, Chris, and Danny. We were all sitting there quietly, not knowing what to say without the presence of Madison sitting there leading the conversation. "Do you guys know when we get report cards?" Dana asked breaking the silence.

"At student council today, they said that they would come by Thursday," Eva answered, "That means that we will get them in homeroom Friday." Eva was presidential. She was the president of the 7th grade student council, the secretary of the Fundraiser club, and the president of the Debate club. She was an over-achieving girl, _and_ she got straight A's on her report card every single quarter, and takes all advanced classes.

None of us were as smart as Eva. Nobody answered her. Of course, Eva would answer, with a really reliable answer that was _always_ right. "Nice," Athena spoke up. We munched on our lunches. I ate my salad with slices of chicken, and drank my lemonade.

Madison and I had gone on a strike for school lunches. We refused to buy school lunches until the food improved, even if it meant the prices went up. But our strike didn't work, because nobody agreed with us, and two people can't always make a difference. But Madison and I got addicted to good tasting lunches and just kept on eating them.

Madison was a vegetarian, she also didn't like school lunches because they always served meat. I just didn't like school lunches. The answer was simple: just don't eat them. So we didn't. Because of our strike, the lunch ladies hated us.

Lunch Money, was what we called the lunch lady who ran the cash registers and rang us up. In between kids getting up in line she would glare at us horribly like we were Hitler or something. Then there was

Lunch Sandwich, who ran the deli line, and made sandwiches at the speed that it takes you to write her name.

Then there was Hot Lunch, who served the hot lunch. Pretty simple right? Not really, according to Chris, Hot Lunch is _hot_. We don't exactly agree with that on account to the fact that she wears and hair net on her head, and I don't see how they think that she is good looking.

There are the lunch ladies. We think that there are more but they do things like I said, at the speed that you write her name. Oh, wait, I forgot someone: Lunch Dude, who is like a sub. But the weird thing is, is that he is a man. A Lunch-lady-man. A Lunch Dude, that is what he is. No matter how grose it sounds.

---------------------

We all ate our lunches and about ten minutes into the lunch period after all of us had all bought or gotten out our lunches a boy walks up to the table. He was pretty cute, he had funky rimmed glasses, baggy pants, and a black t-shirt that says, "How to keep an idiot busy (see back of shirt)." Then on the back it said, "How to keep an idiot busy (see front of shirt)."

"Can I sit with you guys?" He said, "I'm Zachary."

"Yeah sure," I said eyeing every one else, Dana couldn't keep her eyes off of him and seemed as if she was drooling, "I'm Jem. That is Dana, Eva, Bailey, Athena, Danny, Chris, and Bobbie." Bobbie eyed me; I knew what he was thinking _Jem, why did you put me last?_ is what he was thinking. Bobbie is a stuck up retard so I didn't mind him being mad.

"Thanks, I'm new." Zachary said.

"We noticed, at this school, since there aren't very many people, we know everyone." I said.

"Am you the only one that knows how to talk?" Zachary asked laughing.

"No, Jem is just very talkative, so is Eva, but only after you get to know her." Danny said. He stuffed five potato chips into his mouth a once. Zachary stared at his food disgusted; he had a tomato and turkey sandwich, my favorite combination. He had obviously bought because the bread was wet and disgusting.

"I wouldn't eat that if I were you!" Dana blurted out, "The school lunches aren't very good here, except for their pizza, they get it from I Love New York Pizza." Dana said really fast. We all knew that Dana talked really fast when she was nervous, and right now was the perfect moment to be nervous.

Athena bit into her sandwich, there was a loud and distinct crunch. Athena took her mouth off of her half eaten sandwich and saw a piece of paper sticking out. On one side it was blank in big pink bubbly letters it said _This is what your grades can look like if you don't get me a date, they can be even worse. _


	4. On A Mission

A/N: Read and Review ASAP

Chapter Four--

On A Mission

On the other side of the note was a report card, the grades were D, D-, C, and all grades underneath a B-. The horrible thing was, that it also said "Or worse." So Athena was scared and horrified. Although her grades weren't as good as Eva's she couldn't get bad grades, one because she would be killed by her father and two because her grades meant a lot to her.

We were all afraid of what might happen to Athena if she didn't get Rose Thorn person a date. Yeah, it was definitely Rose Thorn. For the next few days we examined what colors and pens the drones and Poison Ivy used. Ivy used a sparkly purple pen, Joanie used a sparkly purple pen, and Rose was the only one who used a pink pen so it was kind of obvious.

And during homeroom I heard Rose talking about how she needed a date to the dance. Kind of obvious if you ask me.

We all thought about who we could get to go out with Rose. Everyone knew that Rose wasn't a very good girlfriend, in some worlds; people would call her, a 'player.' All because she would go out with one boy for two days, then go out with another boy for two days, and so on. We needed someone who didn't know Rose's history in the dating area.

Then it occurred to us, Zachary. Although Zachary had heard us complaining about Ivy and her drones, it was no surprise that he was who we needed.

At lunch we all sat around Zachary at our round lunch table. "Zachary, you need to do us a favor." I said to him on that Thursday afternoon.

"Yeah sure, shoot." Zachary said in between bites of cold Mac-and-cheese--which he had bought from home.

"Well, you know that note that ended up in Athena's sandwich on Monday?" I asked.

"Yeah," Zachary replied.

"Well we want you to go out with Rose to the dance Friday night." I told him.

"The hot red-head!" Zachary said excitedly.

"No Zachary, that is Ivy Daly, this is Rose, her drone." Athena said rolling her eyes.

"Dang-it. Do I have to?" Zachary said.

"If you don't want Athena to fail." Eva jumped in. She stuttered as she said fail.

"Fine, I will. But she isn't going to be my girl-friend right?" Zachary asked.

"No, only the dance. And if you act like an idiot, she will break up with you half way through the dance." I explained.

"Fine, I'll do it." Zachary said.

"We have a lot to do by tomorrow. Come over to Jem's house this afternoon with all of us, Danny and Chris. They have a lot to teach you about this stuff. You're going to ask her to the dance tomorrow right before lunch. We have her locker number and everything so you will know where to go and look." Athena told him.

I knew that this would work, and Athena's reputation wouldn't be ruined for eternity.

---------------

It was right before fifth period. Rose's locker was across the hall from mine and I made sure that I was there when Zachary made his move. Athena had to rush off to the councilor's office for something so couldn't make it. We arranged that Danny and I would be the only ones in the hall so Rose wouldn't get suspicious about our whole group being there.

It was time. Zachary approached Rose at her locker. Danny and I both tried to look without seeming obvious.

"Hey Rose," I heard Zachary say, "Are you going to the dance with anyone today, because I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

"Of course, here I'll give you my number," Rose said grabbing his hand, she took a pen and wrote a combination of numbers that we assumed was her cell phone number.

"Great! I'll see you later." Zachary said, then he walked away. Danny followed him. Rose looked at me.

"I assume that it was mostly you who did this, right?" Rose said.

"Well, Athena thought of boys, and I mostly arranged it." I told her truthfully.

"Well, I'm impressed." Rose said, slammed her locker door shut, and walked down the hall to the cafeteria.

------------

At 7:15 PM all of us except for Zachary met at the front of the school before entering the dance. "I called up Zachary and told him exactly what to wear. When he told me that Rose wanted him to call her, I told him that they should meet at 7:30 PM, just because God forbid that he should actually be on time for the dance." Danny told us, "I heard Poison Ivy talking to Phony Joanie about how since the dance started at 7:00, she and Cameron were going to get there at 7:30, Latin style."

After 5 minutes of talking we all entered the dance just to find Joan and her boyfriend, Terri, slow dancing intensely. Athena and I went to a table and watched the front entrance watching for Zachary and Rose. We saw them enter about five minutes after they're meeting time.

They walked side-by-side to the dance floor and started slow dancing next to Joan and Terri, Rose putting her head on Zachary's shoulder. Zachary noticed us and rolled his eyes, I started laughing and Athena punched me in the arm.

At 9:30 all of us went outside and waited for our parents. After Rose's dad came and picked her up Zachary came rushing to us. "That was the worst dance I have ever been too." Zachary told us honestly.

"I'm not surprised." Danny said punching him in the arm. We all laughed at Zachary and shared what we had done and how to make Rose think that she and Zachary weren't going out. Then our parents all picked us up and we all went home.


	5. The First Changes

A/N: Fifth chapter coming at ya. R & R pleeez.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for what I made up.

Chapter Five--

The First Changes

Athena and I always carpool from dances, so Athena's father picked us both up. When we arrived at my house, I said bye, thanked Athena's father for the ride, and went inside. I was surprised to see that Allison and Grandma were at the television watching TV and playing cards.

"Where is Mom?" I asked suspiciously. Allison looked at me and laughed.

"Didn't you know Jem?" Grandma said, "She went on a date with this man whose name slipped my mind."

"Bryson, his name was Bryson. I don't like him Jem." Allison said, "Mom doesn't need a 'companion' as Grandma calls him."

"What!" I practically yelled, "Mom would never go on a date without telling me!" I stomped my foot on the ground like a little kid.

"Jemima!" Grandma said hitting my shoulder, "Do _not_ yell like that in front of me. And Clara called it, um, going out to dinner for work. But you know me Jem, I'm old, I talk to myself, and Allison heard me saying that it was really a date." Grandma calmly said to me.

"Never underestimate your mother, Clara would never lie to you." Grandma finished. It felt weird Grandma calling Mom Clara; when I was younger she would always call her Mom, just so she wouldn't mix Allison and me up, but as I got older and so did Allison she started calling Mom Clara, and it was different then usual.

Allison yawned, "Mom said that I could stay up until she got home. But I'm getting awful tired." Grandma patted her head.

"Marianna, you can go to bed if you wish." I stared at Allison and Grandma, as I took my place in one of the armchairs. Grandma had been getting mixed up, and calling me Clara, and Allison Marianna, the name of my aunt. What was weird was that Grandma never spoke of Tia Marianna, ever since she had died in the car crash when I was seven.

It was sad talking about them, because it was the same car crash that my father had been killed in. Here is the story:

It was Mom's birthday, and Grandma had come to visit with Marianna. Marianna had never been to our town, so Dad, Mom, and Marianna had left to show her around town. It was getting late and Grandma was getting nervous. She had sent Allison to sleep because she was only three, and it was way past her bedtime; but she let me stay up, I don't know why.

That is when we got the phone call. It was late, as far as I remember, and Grandma talked on the phone very sternly; then she got off the phone and gave me stern instructions that I haven't forgotten, "Jemima, wake up your sister and get her dressed, get out of your pajamas and go straight to the car. Do not waste time." I remember that her voice was stern, and she was on the verge of tears.

I followed her instructions without asking any questions and we got into the car. For the next twenty minutes to the hospital my head filled with questions about what was going on, and why it was happening. I don't remember the hospital, I just remember that the doctor coming and telling Grandma, "Clara Varaz is going to be fine; she just has a broken arm. But we don't have the status on the other two, they aren't doing as well."

We were in the hospital for hours and hours, and I stayed up for all of them. Allison had fallen asleep on my lap and I distinctly remember my legs going numb.

Mom stayed in the hospital for maybe three more hours then came out and told Allison and me that Dad and Tia Marianna weren't coming back and it was time to go home. Allison didn't understand. Allison kept on saying, "Daddy and Tia will come back Mommy, and then, we can have a tea party."

She didn't realize that he wasn't coming back until the wake, then the funeral, then the memorial service. The wake was scary, it was like this person that I hadn't lived with my whole life, like a wax body of what resembled my father, with makeup because of the crash.

To this day I don't know what caused the crash and why it happens, but I don't really care. It is too painful.

--------------

Back to life. We stayed up for a while. And longer, and it was weird. I felt as if I was waiting in the hospital because Allison fell asleep on my lap. Around 11:30 Mom came home. She was smiling and laughing to herself. She came in surprised to see that nobody was in bed.

"I'm going to bed. Good-night." I walked upstairs to my room and took out my journal.

_These nights scare me,_

_With all my might,_

_To look inside,_

_What might have happened._

_I don't like it,_

_The way she doesn't tell,_

_How she thinks,_

_And what she does._

_She scares me,_

_As if she is,_

_Over him now,_

_And ready for anew._

_When I'm left behind._

I wouldn't call the way I write poetry. But it seems way more soothing then just writing things down in long boring sentences. I don't follow any rules in my writing, and that is important for you to know.

_The new guy, Zachary, says,_

_That when everything changes,_

_You feel scared,_

_And aware of it._

_I don't understand the way,_

_That Zachary thinks,_

_But he seems smart,_

_And scared at the same._

_Athena isn't scared,_

_Just shy and feels not noticed,_

_As if everything is in back of her,_

_And in front of me._

_I may be outspoken,_

_And kind and aware,_

_But my life is all scary,_

_And not really fair._

_Eva is like,_

_A report card,_

_The first few grades,_

_Are happy and joyful,_

_But the last one is harsh,_

_And out of the blue._

_I don't understand,_

_Why I'm friends with Bobbie,_

_He is too ahead,_

_Of himself and his reputation._

_But Zachary, isn't, _

_Ahead of himself,_

_At all in the least,_

_He doesn't,_

_Take you by surprise,_

_Saying things that you,_

_Would never expect._

_Zachary dealt, _

_With moving and such,_

_When I can barely deal,_

_With losing one._

_Zachary lost, _

_Much more then me,_

_His friends and his home,_

_But he found us, _

_In great need for someone._

_We're not used to big change,_

_In the least,_

_Where everything is gone,_

_But really it's there,_

_Where no one can relate,_

_And face their fate,_

_That things will always change,_

_For good and bad._


End file.
